Conventional mowing machines have an attached cutting reel unit or multiple units. Such machines typically move the cutting reel unit across the ground adjacent to the machine. Grass beneath the cutting reel unit is mowed as the machine travels forward. Conventional reel mower vehicles can include a plurality of arm members that extend from the vehicle, each arm having a cutting reel unit attached to its outer end portion.
The cutting reel units typically include front and rear skids or rollers that support or carry the cutting reel unit across the surface of the ground during mowing operation. Such vehicles and cutting reel units are disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,343,680; 5,412,931 and 5,459,984.
Conventional cutting reel units provide a plurality of blades coupled together to form a generally cylindrical reel that rotates about a transverse axis. The blades pass in close proximity to a bedknife to create a scissoring action for cutting vegetation such as grass. A frame typically houses the reel and bedknife. Wheels, rollers or skids are coupled to the frame for engaging or rolling across the ground to operatively support the reel and bedknife at a predetermined height above the ground. The height at which grass is cut is therefore determined by the height at which the wheels, rollers or skids carry a frame, reel and bedknife above the ground. Cutting reel units are typically used for mowing golf courses or other areas were a relatively low and accurate cut is desirable.
Reel mowers cut properly only if the reel-to-bedknife clearance is properly adjusted. Currently, the reel-to-bedknife clearance is manually adjusted. The adjustment is made on a regular basis, typically before use, or made when poor cut quality is detected during or after use. Sometimes the adjustment is made such that the reel touches the bedknife and then the reel and bedknife are allowed to wear into place. Adjustments are also made after repair or replacement of the reels or the bedknife.
Specifically, the reel-to-bedknife clearance is adjusted by moving the reel away from the bedknife to allow a specific gap—that is even across the length of the reel and bedknife—between both the reel and bedknife. The gap is then measured by inserting a feeler gauge (of the same thickness as the adjustment gap) between the reel and bedknife. The adjusted gap between the reel and bedknife is determined to be accurate when the feeler gauge can be moved smoothly between the reel and bedknife across the entire length of the reel and bedknife, such that there is only a slight drag of the feeler gauge as it is moved across this length. To verify reel and bedknife sharpness and a correct reel-to-bedknife adjustment, a single strip of paper is often inserted between the reel blade and bedknife while the reel is turned forward by hand. If the reel cuts the paper, the sharpness and adjustment are usually determined to be correct. The quality of the cut of the piece of paper across the single sheet can be examined to indicate whether the clearance is correct.
Reel adjustments are also necessary when a cutting reel unit is “re-tasked,” in effect, adjusted for cutting another type of grass or grass to be cut to a different height. For example, a cutting reel unit could be re-tasked from an adjustment appropriate for a golf course fairway to adjustment appropriate for a golf course green, the two areas having different grass height requirements. However, re-tasking a cutting reel unit is time-consuming. To avoid re-tasking cutting reel unit, many golf courses have cutting reel units or cutting machines which remain designated or pre-adjusted for particular grass requirements, in effect, a designated group of cutting units for different areas of the golf course. This technique necessitates multiple cutting units or cutting machines. Multiple cutting units or machines can result in higher capital costs and maintenance costs.
The present inventors have recognized that the cut quality of a reel mower is largely determined by the accuracy and precision of adjustment of several key factors. The present inventors have recognized that proper mower adjustments are often hard to achieve through manual adjustment methods.
The present inventors have recognized that the reel-to-bedknife adjustment is one such adjustment that needs to be adjusted accurately and precisely, but is often hard to achieve on individual mowing reels.
The present inventors have recognized that ease, speed, accuracy and precision of these adjustments can be improved through automated adjustments.
The present inventors have recognized that a need exists for dynamic adjustment capability for multi-area mowers or mowers that are capable of mowing multiple areas having different cutting requirements. The present inventors recognize that a need exists to be able to re-task a cutting reel unit dynamically to allow a single machine to mow multiple area types with different cutting reel unit setup requirements.
The present inventors have recognized the need to provide reel-to-bedknife contact detection, and to make reel-to-bedknife clearance adjustments during operation of the cutting reel unit.
The present inventors have recognized the need to improve the adjustment process to ensure a shorter required time, ease of adjustment, and improved reel operation quality.